Jinsider

What’s next for Watson, the IBM computer that easily defeated two champion “Jeopardy!” players on the popular TV quiz show? The press recently reported that developers are planning to send the computer to medical school to help doctors identify diseases and recommend treatments. Wait a minute. How about enrolling the IBM computer at Yeshiva University or JTS to ordain Rabbi Watson and help combat illiteracy and disaffiliation in the Jewish community? The Birthright alums would love it. To simulate how Rabbi W.

With the Internet playing such a high-profile role in events in the Middle East, what can we learn about more effectively leveraging social media? How can we use social media to foster a more engaged and activated Jewish community? We consulted with Amy Niles Gonzalez and David Sable, both highly regarded digital marketing experts, to offer insights into recent events and how to become a more digital-savvy community.

Putting politics and Israel aside, the most impressive part of the events in Cairo was the fearlessness and courage of the protesting Egyptians. We asked Rabbi Jill Jacobs to offer perspective on placing life in harm’s way. What should we be prepared to die for? Tell us what you think at connect@jinsider.com.

T o add a Jewish sensibility to next week’s Valentine’s Day, JInsider wanted to offer an alternative to the Hallmark view of love and the exploitative manner that personal relationships are often portrayed on TV talk and reality shows. To that end, we asked our experts to offer practical wisdom on finding a soul mate.

T he North American Jewish Day School Convention begins Sunday in Los Angeles (Feb. 6-8) to explore the future of education. Left off the schedule is a session on how to apply the “No Child Left Behind” concept to create a standard of knowledge proficiency for every Jewish child. How might this work in our day school environment? We asked the Orthodox Union’s Rabbi Steven Burg to outline an approach to experiential education that extends into the home. According to Rabbi Burg, every Jewish child should have a well-rounded curriculum that includes the following:

A lthough we are now in the 2010s, we don’t have to look back centuries to find legendary sources of Jewish wisdom. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (1934-1983) was one of the most important scholars of our generation and is regarded as a significant factor in helping make Judaism relevant in the modern age. We close out this first month of 2011 with a special opportunity to spend Sunday, Jan. 30 immersed in Rabbi Kaplan’s practical wisdom at the 7th Annual Day of Kabbalah at the JCC (jccmanhattan.org/makom). Here are some of Kaplan’s words to live by for the 21st century.